Which Lawn Tractor Solenoid for Starter Solenoid?

[Guest]

Howdy folks.

Forgot - 81 GS650gl

My starter solenoid (more of a relay, really) has been slowly dying, and finally died completely. Bypassing it works to crank the engine. I will check the grounds before ordering, but I am happy to replace the thing. Being stranded really sucks.

So, Lowes has two relays. One has a "jumper wire" and the other doesn't.

Which one is correct?
Has a "jumper wire".

http://www.lowes.com/pd_543184-442-490-250-M015_0__?productId=50119665&Ntt=solenoid&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dsolenoid&facetInfo=

Doesn't have jumper wire.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_16125-442-OEM-725-1426_0__?productId=1148219&Ntt=solenoid&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dsolenoid&facetInfo=

Anyone know exactly which one?

[posplayr]

The difference seems to be whether hook your y/g wire to the solenoid with a space connector (no jumper wire) or you connect to what ever connector they have on the end of he jumper wire.

I'm not sure but can hardly believe it is anything else.

[WilliamGLX81]

Hmm. I was thinking that one is mount-grounded and the other is wire-grounded (my preference).

[posplayr]

I guess that is possible but people say to use them and your start button is active +12v. Maybe some one will pipe in.

[WilliamGLX81]

Hmmm. I think I found my answer in the description:

"Works on both frame and mount grounding"

Didn't see that before. That's for the one with the jumper wire.

[Steve]

The picture for the "jumper wire" model does not show all that much, but I am guessing it is like posplayr is guessing. Either one (both) will ground to whatever they are mounted to, it's just a matter of whether the input connects to a (jumper) wire or to a spade terminal on the solenoid.

.

[WilliamGLX81]

Mrgh. Grounding through the mount seems like a terrible idea to me. I'd much rather just run a wire to the battery - terminal. Either way, I'd much rather have a heatshrinked crimp than a spade connector.

[tkent02]

You want a Suzuki solenoid?

[WilliamGLX81]

Is that an offer to sell me one? I don't really care what brand it is, so long as it works. And it seems more likely to be reliable if it's new, regardless of brand.

[tkent02]

Don't have a new one to sell.

Have a few that work. Most of them work forever, or at least longer than the rest of the bike.

[TooManyToys]

Having a lifetime with the family nursery business this is easy. The two types are self grounding through the mounting bolt and a wired ground. Even if you buy a self grounding solenoid and it doesn't work because the mounting plate the solenoid bolts to does have connection to the battery negative terminal, you can run a jumper wire between one of the solenoid mounting bolts and a good frame ground.

All is not lost.

[koolaid_kid]

Having a lifetime with the family nursery business this is easy. The two types are self grounding through the mounting bolt and a wired ground. Even if you buy a self grounding solenoid and it doesn't work because the mounting plate the solenoid bolts to does have connection to the battery negative terminal, you can run a jumper wire between one of the solenoid mounting bolts and a good frame ground.

All is not lost.

This is what I do, and it works every time.

[Steve]

Mrgh. Grounding through the mount seems like a terrible idea to me.

Well, that's the way the stock solenoid was grounded.

But then, we all know that not everything was perfect on a GS.

Personally, I prefer to have it grounded through the mount.
Assuming that the mount is properly grounded, it's simply one less wire to worry about.

.

[posplayr]

Mrgh. Grounding through the mount seems like a terrible idea to me. I'd much rather just run a wire to the battery - terminal. Either way, I'd much rather have a heatshrinked crimp than a spade connector.

All of the Suzuki ones are that way with no issues unless you pay no attentions to your grounds.

[Griffyn]

And it seems more likely to be reliable if it's new, regardless of brand.

This is far from a safe bet. From years of VW restoration, I can tell you that you will get more reliability out of blowing the dust out of a real german part that had been sitting in a barn for 5 years than buying a brand new one made in china and assembled in mexico. I'd trust a circa 1980 Suzuki OEM part out of someone's spares box over a new-in-box part made last year for a yard tractor any day.